There is no doubt that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a strategic planner who has a clear vision informed by his mission in government.
To say that the depth of his performance as Lagos government and the sustenance of his legacies since he left office sixteen years ago is informed by this rare vision is an understatement.
Also the fact that he is able to maintain the tempo of development in Lagos informed his supposed ‘godfather’ motive in installing three successive governments who all followed the pattern of development which today made Lagos the fastest growing economy in West Africa and fifth largest in Africa. This is a clear testimony to his clear headed vision and strategic political cum administrative acumen.
For somebody who met a monthly internally generated revenue,IGR of N600million and increased same to Six billion by the time he left in 2007 is no mean.
This also attest to why today it is hard to question Tinubus choice of ministers and technocrats who he has choosen to work with him as President of Nigeria of his hope The Nigerian billionaires and Tinubu’s tax reform
Afterall,what is wrong in a leader choosing his Men based on competence and ability to deliver.
This exactly is the missing link in the style of former President Muhammadu Buharis administration for eight years.
Having taken his time in the last sixteen years to study the style and performance of his four predecessors, President Tinubus has by the choice of his ministers shown clearly his vision, style and purpose in government.
This is why discussing the choice of his new set of ministers and the allocation of portfolio is worth taking a second look at.
It is also clear that with his background and exposure coupled with the apparent failures in office of the man he helped to power,Tinubu is determined to make a difference in governance.
While Buhari spent six months chopping for Ministers ,his choices and their placement at the end of the day clearly portray his intention, plotting and eventual decision to run an ethnic -cum religiously biased government contrary to dictate of Nigerias adversity.
His choice of Ministers and where power resided in his Presidency clearly portray his thinking not known to those who helped him to power.
That the late Chief of staff,Abba Akyari later became Buharis alter ego confirms the subsequent enunciation of controversial projects and recruitment policies in most federal organs which favoured Fulani moslems.
The domination of Buharis think- thank by the likes of Justice Minister Abubakar Malami,Mamman Daura and others informed the enunciation of controversial Ruga land ptoject and other insensitive policies which out his government in suspicion and covertly undermine any progressive thrust of the government.
The end of Buharis tenure,tension in the country and inability to rein in obnoxious policies like Ruga,Currency redesign of suspended Godwin Emefiele and citing of over fifteen strategic military institutions in the North, are all evident of Buharis choice of Ministers and Think -Thank.
As for Tinubu, it is apparent that appointment of Youths like versatile,brilliant and upcoming lady Beta Edu and her other women colleagues is a pointer towards his goal.
In another breadth, the appointment of Mr Dele Alake,a tested and trusted hand to the Solid Mineral ministry is also being seen as strange terrain since Alake is a tested hand in Information sector.
But then ,the fact remains that being a professional in one sector is not a limitation given that leadership and implementing set goals and policies is what is required and not expertise.
Expertise without leadership drive amounts to nothing.
The late Former Lagos governor,Alhaji Lateef Jakande, a seasoned journalist turned around the fortunes of Lagos beginning with erasure of shifting system in public schools under a record six months; implementation of other breathtaking development projects like Housing,Water,Rural Electrification and Roads remains landmark achievements today.
Ditto the late Governor of Ogun state,Olabisi Onabanjo, also a journalist who built enduring institutions in the state not to mention the likes of Adekunle Ajasin,Bola Ige and Ambrose Alli all performed excellency well
With the appointment of seasoned economist,financial guru and banker, Olawale Edun ,the policy direction and thrust of the Tinubu administration will definitely be a departure from the nepostic and clannish disposition of the Buhari regime which took the shine of whatever impact he made in sectors like Works and Transport where both Babatunde Raji Fashola and Rotimi Amaechi made the difference.
Their performance provided a relief to Buharis retrogressive policies.
That Tinubu chooses a University Vice Chancellor,Tahir Mamman of Northern extraction to head Education is a break from Buharis choice of some body like Adamu Adamu who later confesses he knew nothing about Education but made a superior to a university professor,who was minister of state.
Tinubus choice of Mamman, may be a deliberate decision to move education in the North forward and maintain a rancour- free regime with stakeholders in the sector.
Can a body do anything if the head is rotten ?
The frequent crisis in the education sector while Adamu presided for eight years is a justification for his clear incompetence and narrow minded of a critical sector, his performance nearly brought Education to its knees under Buharis Presidency.
So also appointment of Ali Pate as Coordinating health minister is expected to breathe life into a commatose health system in line with late Professor Olikoye Ransome Kutis clear headed vision which promoted primary health delivery as critical for a sustainable health system.
That the sub -sector of the health delivery system has collapsed is evident of subsequent visionless leaders after Ransome- Kuti.
As for Communication and Digital Economy, appointing a youthful technocrat like Bosun Tijani may not only bring far reaching practical developments to the sub -sector but a window to enroll youths into a new vision to use communication as a tool for growth in other sectors of the economy.
At least, absence of religious and ethnic motive experienced during former Minister Prof Isa Ali Pantanmis tenure will remove the sectors shortfall and ensure sectoral stability.
As for political considerations in former Governor Nyesome Wikes FCT posting,critics may not see the motive of Tinubu in injecting life into FCT administration the way erstwhile Kaduna governor and former FCT Minister, Nasir El Rufais tenure did.
This is considering Wikes indisputable infrastructural strides in Rivers as governor.
While critics may accuse Tinubu of jettisoning politicians in most critical ministries,they may not see the need for competence which is a pre- requisite for performance and public confidence needed in government.
Yes, jobs are needed for the ‘boys’ in political arena but future elections are made easier when ministers and other appointees perform to make life better for the citizenry.
This performance in public policy administration badly needed in our clime to me, remains the irreducible condition for credible administration.
With the sterling performance of former Governor Dave Umahi in Ebonyi state,his zest and belief in the country especially coming from troubled South East may be all is needed to continue the remarkable trusts made by both Fashola and Amaechi in Works and Transportation – two key sectors where noticeable progress was made by the last administration.
As for Marine and Blue Economy ministry,new structures like Marine if it must fulfil it’s goal of tapping and generating more revenue from an untapped sector also requires expertise and competence of the brilliant chaps like Bunmi Tunji,whose records in that sector and not political consideration must have informed Tinubus decision.
If his revenue base must improve to complement oil sector already threatened,then new men with new ideas must be positioned to drive the initiative.
Sentiments and performance are derivables for growth in the short and long run respectively.
By now,it should be clear that Tinubu know and clearly designed his goals and aspiration and it is only natural he be allowed to work with men who will keep their eyes on the Goal for achievement.
Only Tinubu himself and his trusted and competent aides and appointees should stand in the way of his performance since he himself admitted he ask for the job.
He must also accept the twist,turns and challenges if he must give Hope to the Hopeless and effect a change to earn a place in History!
